Oscars 2016

The Hateful Eight (Weinstein, fall)

Early script reviews of Quentin Tarantino's eighth film were not kind, but don't count out the Django Unchained follow-up, with a cast including Channing Tatum and Samuel L. Jackson.

Joy (Fox, Dec. 25)

David O. Russell's third collaboration with Jennifer Lawrence is the quirky story of Miracle Mop inventor and QVC star Joy Mangano.

Me and Earl and the Dying (Fox Searchlight, TBD)

Like Whiplash and Boyhood, the Sundance breakout could go all the way to next year's Oscars.

The Revenant (Fox, Dec. 25)

Alejandro G. Inarritu follows Birdman with a period Western starring Tom Hardy and a bearded Leonardo DiCaprio as fur trappers in Indian country.

Spielberg Cold War Spy Thriller (Disney, Oct. 16)

His untitled Lincoln follow-up promises Oscar fave Tom Hanks as an American lawyer recruited by the CIA to help rescue a pilot held in the Soviet Union.

Steve Jobs (Universal, Oct. 9)

Can director Danny Boyle pull it off? Michael Fassbender stars as the Apple legend from a talky three-act script by Aaron Sorkin.

Suffragette (TBD, fall)

Writer Abi Morgan's story of the early days of the feminist movement needs a U.S. distributor, but that shouldn't be tough with stars Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter and Carey Mulligan.

Trumbo (Bleecker Street, TBD)

Bryan Cranston stars in Jay Roach's look at blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, whose story could resonate with Oscar voters looking to make amends.

and I'll toss in The Heart of the Sea. Ron Howard directs the story behind the inspiration of Moby Dick. They moved it from March to awards season in a show of confidence.
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Have Fey and Pohler ruled it out?

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MINDY!!!!!!!!!!!

Louis CK

Can you imagine?

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Kristen Wiig & Will Ferrell would be fun, also.

How about a non-comedian?

Somebody with gravitas, who plays it straight.

Oprah?

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How about no host at all?

Like the Grammys a few years ago.

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@henrikegerman

Isn't that a horror film?

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Updated On: 2/23/15 at 07:05 PM

"How about a non-comedian? Somebody with gravitas, who plays it straight."

I think this was why the Tonys kept begging Angela Lansbury to come back. She lent a bit of style to the show.

The problem with a non-comedian is how do you entertain the crowd? What is used as filler in between segments? If you don't have jokes or a musical number, what do you put in there?

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There's nothing new about the dichotomy between art and commerce. I'd hazard a guess that the latter has pulled ahead of the former. Thanks to commerce, we now have numerous means of mass communication and programming such that the Academy will have to make some adjustments if it aims to keep the Oscars poised to capture mind-share (and advertising dollars) going forward.

IMHO, Uncle Oscar is approaching the precipice of becoming a niche program. He's never been less relevant to the cool kids due to sundry reasons some of which might be painful for a few of us.

Similarly, 1974 called and said don't worry about her because she's in a good place now.

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It's time for Derek McLane to take a break from designing the show. It was gorgeous (if a bit too opulent). Around 80% of the upstage area is never used, and there is no reason why they can't incorporate a live orchestra into that space.

I would love to see Dame Edna host the Oscars next year...might be a little too late, though. I think this current Farewell Tour is the real end to Edna's live performances.

Then it's settled.

#LetBrianWilliamsHostOscars2016

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